Graduation Requirements
Graduation & Promotion Requirements
Graduation Requirements:
The Board shall adopt the graduation requirements students must achieve in accordance with state regulations.
Class of 2027: In order to graduate from GJHS all students need to:
- earn a minimum of 27 credits, as outlined below,
- complete ALL THREE (3) Keystone Assessments by the end of their Junior year (for students enrolled in the Greater Johnstown School District during their Junior year),
- and qualify for one of the Graduation Pathways as established in ACT 158.
Greater Johnstown High School Graduation Requirements - Class of 2027:
Graduation Requirements (cont’d):
Class of 2028: In order to graduate from GJHS all students need to:
- earn a minimum of 26 credits, as outlined below,
- complete ALL THREE (3) Keystone Assessments by the end of their Junior year (for students enrolled in the Greater Johnstown School District during their Junior year),
- and qualify for one of the Graduation Pathways as established in ACT 158.
Greater Johnstown High School Graduation Requirements - Class of 2028:
Graduation Requirements (cont’d):
Class of 2029: In order to graduate from GJHS all students need to:
- earn a minimum of 25 credits, as outlined below,
- complete ALL THREE (3) Keystone Assessments by the end of their Junior year (for students enrolled in the Greater Johnstown School District during their Junior year),
- and qualify for one of the Graduation Pathways as established in ACT 158.
Greater Johnstown High School Graduation Requirements - Class of 2029:
Graduation Requirements (cont’d):
Class of 2030: In order to graduate from GJHS all students need to:
- earn a minimum of 24 credits, as outlined below,
- complete ALL THREE (3) Keystone Assessments by the end of their Junior year (for students enrolled in the Greater Johnstown School District during their Junior year),
- and qualify for one of the Graduation Pathways as established in ACT 158.
Greater Johnstown High School Graduation Requirements - Class of 2030:
PA High School Graduation Requirements according to ACT 158
Senate Bill 1095, which was signed into law by Governor Tom Wolf on October 24, 2018, shifts Pennsylvania’s reliance on high stakes testing as a graduation requirement to provide alternatives for high school students to demonstrate readiness for postsecondary success. Formerly, Pennsylvania’s graduation requirement was more restrictive, requiring most students to pass the Keystone Exams — end of course exams in Algebra I, Literature, and Biology. Senate Bill 1095 will expand the options for students to demonstrate postsecondary readiness using four additional pathways that more fully illustrate college, career, and community readiness.
The statewide graduation requirement takes effect for the graduating class of 2022. While there is no statewide graduation requirement for the classes of 2019, 2020, and 2021, students, parents, and guardians should reference local policies governing graduation, which are not preempted by the moratorium on the statewide requirement. Beginning in the 2021-22 school year, the statewide graduation requirement will apply, as will any other locally-established policies and requirements.
Additionally, Keystone Exams are the statewide assessment that Pennsylvania uses to comply with accountability requirements in the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Each state is expected to achieve 95 percent participation on its statewide exams.
Graduation Requirements
An Overview of the 5 Pathways to Graduation
Pathway 1 – Keystone Proficiency Pathway
Student will earn proficient or advanced on all three keystone exams (Algebra I, Literature, and Biology)
Pathway 2 – Keystone Composite Pathway
Student will earn proficient or advanced on at least one keystone exam, and score at least basic on the other two keystone exams, and have a composite score of at least 4452.
Pathway 3 – Career & Technical Education Pathway
Student will meet local requirements for academic content covered by the keystone exams for all subjects where they did not earn proficiency on the keystone.
AND
Either -
Attain an industry-based competency certification related to the CTE Concentrator’s program of study
OR
Demonstrate a high likelihood of success on an approved industry-based competency assessment or readiness for continued meaningful engagement in the CTE Concentrator’s program of study
Pathway 4 – Alternate Assessment Pathway
Student will meet local requirements for academic content covered by the keystone exams for all subjects where they did not earn proficiency on the keystone.
AND - One of the Following
Attain an established score on an approved alternate assessment for each subject where the student did not earn proficiency. Approved alternate assessments are:
- AP (3), IB (4), PSAT (970), SAT (1010), ACT (21)
- ACT WorkKeys: Gold Level
- ASVAB – minimum score required to gain admittance to a branch of the armed services in the year the student graduates
OR
Successfully complete a concurrent enrollment course in an academic content area
associated with each Keystone Exam in which the student did not achieve at least
proficiency
- Credit-bearing non-remedial approved concurrent course
- Aligned to the respective keystone exams
- Passing grade on the approved concurrent course
- High school or college transcript as evidence
OR
Successfully complete a pre-apprenticeship program
- Specific career training designed to prepare a student for an occupation in an approved schedule of related instruction
- Program must be registered with the Director Apprenticeship and Training Office, PA Department of Labor and Industry
- Meets all pre-apprenticeship program requirements, per specific industry requirements
OR
Be accepted in an accredited 4-year nonprofit institution of higher education and have
evidence of the ability to enroll in college-level coursework
- Acceptance letter from an accredited 4-year nonprofit institution
- Placement test results indicating the student may enroll in college-level coursework
- College registration form confirming enrollment
- Local profile of an acceptable high school GPA, attendance record, and SAT/ACT score
Pathway 5 – Evidence Based Pathway
Student will meet local requirements for academic content covered by the keystone exams for all subjects where they did not earn proficiency on the keystone.
AND THREE (3) PIECES OF EVIDENCE
At least one (1) of the following:
- Attainment of an established score on an alternate assessment
- SAT Subject Test - 630
- Act WorkKeys: Silver Level
- AP (3) or IB (3) related to student career choice
- Acceptance to an, other than 4-year accredited nonprofit institution of
- higher education
- Acceptance letter
- Placement test results
- College registration form
- Local profile of acceptable HS GPA, attendance record, CAT/ACT score
- Attainment of an industry recognized credential
- Documentation that verifies attainment as defined by the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education
- Successful completion of a concurrent enrollment or postsecondary course
- Credit bearing non-remedial course
- Approved concurrent course aligned to the respective Keystone exams
- Passing grade on an approved concurrent course
- High school or college transcript as evidence
Up to two (2) of the following:
- Service-Learning Project completion
- Must include project learning goal(s), project activities, and the project’s contribution to the community
- Supervised and assessed by an adult; successful completion is verified in writing by the adult supervisor
- Sufficient duration and intensity to address identified community needs and meet specified project learning goal(s)
- Proficient or Advanced on a Keystone Exam
- Scaled score of 1500 or higher on one Keystone exam
- Letter guaranteeing full-time employment
- Internship or Cooperative Education Program
- Appendix A – Industry-based Learning Indicator Guidance: work-based learning experiences
- Compliance with NCAA’s core courses for college-bound student athletes
- Minimum GPA requirements (2.0) in approved NCAA core courses
Additional Pathway Provisions
In addition to the 5 pathways described above there are two (2) additional provisions available.
- Graduation based on IEP team decisions based upon academic goals
- Superintendent’s waiver for students with extenuating circumstances (5%)
Additional Guidelines regarding Diplomas, Graduation Ceremonies, and Continued Education
The Greater Johnstown School Board shall acknowledge each student's successful completion of the instructional program appropriate to the student's interests and needs by awarding diplomas and certificates at graduation ceremonies.
The Board shall award a regular high school diploma to every student enrolled in this district who meets the requirements of graduation established by this Board and/or by the completion of goals in the Individualized Education Plan (I.E.P.) as developed and agreed upon in the I.E.P.
The Board shall permit a student with a disability, whose Individualized Education Program (IEP) prescribes continued educational services, and who has attended four (4) years of high school, to participate in commencement ceremonies with his/her graduating class and receive a certificate of attendance. The student may receive a high school diploma when s/he completes his/her Individualized Education Program (IEP).
A list of all candidates for the award of a diploma shall be submitted to the Board for its approval by April or May of each school year by the building administration.
A requirement for graduation shall be the completion of required assessments, work, and studies representing the instructional program assigned to grades 9 through 12, which shall be aligned with established state academic and PA core standards and/or by the completion of goals in the Individualized Education Plan (I.E.P.)
The fourth year of high school shall not be required for graduation if a student has completed all requirements for graduation, has the principal’s recommendation, earned a proficient/advanced score on the required Keystone Exams (Algebra I, Biology, and Literature) and attends a postsecondary institution as a full-time student or meets the criteria for acceptance into a full-time Board approved Internship. Otherwise, students must attend four full years at the high school.
A student may qualify for graduation by attending high school part-time when officially enrolled part-time in a postsecondary institution.
Accurate recording of each student's achievement of established state academic and PA core standards shall be maintained, as required by law and state regulations.
Students and parents/guardians shall be informed of the graduation requirements students are required to complete.
Periodic warnings shall be issued to students in danger of not fulfilling graduation requirements through the individual teachers, assigned counselors, and/or designated personnel.
A student who has completed the requirements for graduation shall not be denied a diploma as a disciplinary measure. However, the student may be denied participation in the graduation ceremony when personal conduct warrants. Such exclusion shall be regarded as a school suspension.
The Superintendent or designee shall be responsible for planning and executing graduation ceremonies that appropriately recognize this important achievement. In order to participate in the commencement ceremony, students must earn passing grades in all courses in which they are enrolled during their year of graduation, starting with the graduating class of 2021. The building administration shall have discretionary authority in matters involving this policy.